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The Great Escape
by Bob DeMoss
Back in college I had a particular professor we named "Dr. Snooze." We weren't trying to be mean. The fact of the matter was his monotone drone sent our eyelids southward. Naturally, one of our favorite things to hear from him was "Class dismissed," especially if it was another one of his unmemorable late-night lectures.
Today, whether it's a boring business meeting with diminishing returns, sitting through a tired speech by an unprepared guest speaker at the PTA meeting, or a wedding we were obligated to attend, my favorite thing to hear is "You are dismissed", "Meeting adjourned", or "That's all for now."
That's the way it is in real life. Every activity eventually comes to a close. There's an end to the baseball game. There's an end to the work and school day. Meetings, conversations, and phone calls all have a logical ending point. Stuff ends.
There's one exception to this rule: Television viewing.
Have you ever heard a message on TV like, "You are dismissed." "Go stretch your legs." "Turn us off and get some exercise." Or how about, "You've already spent too much time in that chair—get up and do something meaningful!" No way. In TV Land there's no end to the viewing.
"But wait a minute Bob," you might be thinking. "Don't shows come to an end every 30 or 60 minutes?" Sure. But take a closer look. What kind of messages do the networks lace throughout those thirty or sixty minutes of regularly scheduled programming?
"STAY TUNED!!"
"Tonight on Letterman, don't miss Joe Rock Star."
"But wait, there's more ahead."
"Up next . . . the shocking story of love and betrayal which you need to know. Details at 11!"
I guarantee that no network executive worth his salt would ever encourage a viewer to abandon his post, turn off the tube and do something else.
Never. Ain't gonna happen.
This fact has concerned even the U.S. Surgeon General. In April of 1999, Surgeon General David Satcher urged parents to take control of television consumption by reducing the time children spend staring at it. Why should he care? He's a doctor, not a psychologist.
Satcher noted in a press release that obesity levels had reached "epidemic proportions" primarily due to poor diet and a lack of physical activity. He observed, "We have the most sedentary generation of young people in American history. The percentage of overweight children has doubled since 1968."
Committed to stimulating real life experiences and physical activity, Satcher created a special booklet entitled, "Surgeon General's Prescription for Less TV." In it, he recommends that both children and parents "go bicycling, play soccer, jump rope, fly a kite, dance, start a garden, wash the dog, swim laps, throw a Frisbee, build a fort, learn to roller-skate . . ." In short, anything that gets people out of their recliners and into the heartbeat of life. He even suggests kids "clean your room." The bottom line is that Satcher believes Americans must cut their viewing by at least 50 percent if trends in obesity are to be reduced.
Why am I so big on this?
As I've traveled North America over the past 20 years, I found an overwhelming majority of families frustrated with the role of TV in their homes. They confessed to spending far too much time gazing into it's colorful glare. They were dismayed at the way their values were often ridiculed.
Yet in spite of the declining standards of television content, many confessed they were "addicted" and could do nothing about controlling the tube. That's why from the Fall of 1999 to the Spring of 2000 I challenged families across America to consider clicking off their televisions for 30 days. Afterwards, they could go back to the use of TV. But for those handful of days, they would watch no TV at home, no TV at a friend's home and no TV with a neighbor.
No television anywhere.
No exceptions. None.
Why? It's been my belief that the modest step of turning off the television for a month can and will have a profoundly positive effect on each member of any family who goes TV-free for 30-days. Hundreds of families tried going TV-free for 30 days. Those who made it were astonished at the life-changing difference their TV-free month made.
I am convinced that the simple decision to unplug TV for just one month has the power to revolutionize our relationships with our spouse, our children and our world.
For each of the last three years, Dennis Rainey has challenged listeners to "FamilyLife Today" to go TV-free for 30-days in the summer. The stories of the changed lives we have received are amazing. They, like the participants in my book, TV: The Great Escape, discovered that life is what happens while everyone else is watching TV.
Here are a few words from those who dared to tame the TV habit:
Our children who never get along, much less play together, are getting along and playing together. We even put them in the same bedroom! It's really weird. It makes me wonder if the TV had something to do with it since that's the only thing that has changed.
— Tom and Vicki from Jacksonville, Fla.
The greatest gift to me of having the TV off for a month has been the gift of time. Time for the kids' imaginations to take hold to creatively express themselves.
— James and Debbie from Austin, Tex.
Now we eat around the dinner table together every night. No more vacuuming under TV trays by the couch! A full week went by after our 30 days were up before we even plugged in the TV. My family visited that first week after the TV-fast and we spent the evening talking with no television on. Unheard of!
— David and Theresa from Antioch, Tenn.
Actually, after my TV-free month I feel closer to my wife and children than I have felt perhaps ever.
— Rick from Medina, Ohio
Prayer for some reason has been hard for me in the past because I've been so tired and just have the energy to get to bed. But with the TV off, I'm well rested and my personal prayer time fits in nicely. It feels good to talk with God.
— Karen from Glassboro, New Jersey
By the way, when asked if they'd recommend the TV-fast to others, without hesitation Ron and Michelle of Dallas told me: "Never! Unless, of course, they want to develop a deeper relationship their spouse, their children and friends."
What's stopping you from making your great escape.
Taken from www.familylife.com by author Bob DeMoss. Copyright© 2005. All rights reserved. Used by permission